Separating apparatus for springs and the like



Nov. 3, 1953 c. E. K. FOX 2,657,312

SEPARATING APPARATUS FOR SPRINGS AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 5, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l l I v I .vI "'l hllllllIIIIHIIHHIIIIII'IIl IHIIHIIIIIHIIHIHIIIIIHIHIIIH II z 2 2 s g z 56 1 I6 45 :mg mg l z 3 z "l MM 55 I l WA 0 [W [ML c; W o O7 INVENTOR Charles E. h. [bx

kg/M

THEIR .4TTORJVEY Nov. 3, 1953 Filed Jan. 5, 1952 C. E. K. FOX

SEPARATING APPARATUS FOR SPRINGS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Charles 55.7 02? Patented Nov. 3, 1953 Cliailes burg Pa. acorp Application {angagy s, 1955 v s p iwli'. 55152 This invention'gr lates' to-esebaratmai: amtus for eon i'ected articles;lsuhla's springs, and inibi'e partieu larly to fliiid pressure. "means forfant'o matieallyseparatinglvarioii's siies-" 'arid types bt entangled coil sprm' srtand"toumaintam the springs in their untangled state until ready for use:

--- Springs at present fli eceivdlfrom the? menufaeturezl are invariably entangled"? and 'itfis necessary; to use -rnany .-rhan-hou1s'i-to a rate them and keepl them-l i in.lthirt ,fs'p'ae rated state until -re ady ion usel br'" "pi'ocessingf.

One method of aeooihpIishingJthis haiSLbeenlto place a large quantity so-f' entangled i s'p'ringg on a? table and: employ operators to untangle them by hand." "The I opeta'toirsZw'ouldl separate" eaeh spring and plaeeritiindiiiidiiallyion a pinion .spee oially fer'med boards. 'l-hse ebo'airdsl eomai'nin'g the separated springsfithereoiij n'nheees'saryb j I Another object of the inyei'iti'dnf'i'si Teilnoe the production costs bf"temperament-teen: twining springs by eliminating the pre-separating ope za tigr i. Q v: "L119"; e

- -Another-:objct of the 'inventionffi to mmfor useunder -control 'oi a single operatortj Another; object of the invention is'jto'i 'insifije a continuous supply .of imtangld springs" "by automatically returning unused springs to the separating apparatnsl .H. ,A --These and other objects are achieved by'lp'ro: vid-ing a receptacle havinglaiwalllptovided' with a plurality of apertnresi-aand. .being i .bth'eiwise closed. A containerion the lentan' gle'il Isp'rings open end adapted to be;-dispos'edv=.adjaeenti h closed wall of the receptacle-and remote I from the aperturediwall. Fluid pressure. means are connectectto thespringcontaiher .an'd aivalv or other -con-trol--deyioe -ser ves underieohtrdhof Ithe loperator to admit-'fiuid'pressure. fonejectihgiith'e springs through the open endiofltheicontainr into separating "ontact with "tlillosd Walls "or the receptacle for exit individually through the afirmrg:

is supportedwithin the-reoeptacle and an I the separated springswould belplaeedfmIstorage cont'roi deyioe"which nntil*-the springs were required for use in protaciefontoabonveyfor beltfwhioltextends between aipair of-rollerswhielrare iotegted Wen-electric macaroni citherfsintable driving mealisw Hie surface *of the conveyor-belt i iormed of felt oFotherfrictional*materiaP-which retains the separated" articles in' separated cGnditiQnF- 'Ihe operator inerely sele'bts th e separated spgkags ss required'foi useh-Ihps'e springs not so"--selected drop fi'om the cohveyor belt into' a secend ceptacle disposed below one of the 1O11BIS}-=T h sec'o'rndrfeeeptacleis preferably of funnel shaped form *haivjnga disehargeoutlet -cennectedtmthe first*1eeeptacle:f--Fluidjpressure means; are em? ployed tor-admitting fluid: under pnessure to the second receptaele for Teturning the=spfings receivedfithrein" to "the firstnreeeptaelefi The mission-ofifiuid' und erpressnre to "the -seepnd receptacle'istalso nontrolied;'by" a valve"; or pther n be operated by the opei'ator'i'as "desireds" Qthef *object's *ahdadvanta'ges wili; becemeapgparenwmm tfi'e followingzfjdjescriptiontaken Connection with the accompanying drawings,, e i n. n y. sixth. a .,t

"his a plan view of the separating appains nd-A zeal. wentats- 4 .1; "mt, fifef;-

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken'on the line II--II of Fig. 1.

Referring more p rticularly to thedrawings, a receptacle! 0 f-fs provided *haying' a 'gtzot emi-w l :12 provided with't'l a"-'-"1 Ilurality off f .a1'ie 'tures -'*H. Eaqh wp'rjtne' aperture-5114" is' onft asumc nt: l foripelssag'eiofthef diyid'uajl articles-being separateditherethxodg "1111*this embodirnent,-jthese a d tz retailisprines .seyeralfio 'iwhichs n il dby".thefreterencej'numfif l varezshown disposed withinthe reeeptaclef H)? The side walls 1s madman yelling-the rece tagle: 1: a egdve .ifio iormlatr' tangular box for a purpose apparntheremarter: i The receptacle L0 has aifront'waj'l Hjor'mled dfii'g'lass; or other transparent material" and slidi bly ns eesth gs e; L Q H J L 18: ef tm 84 l proyidihg acc sszztoj the-1m o nf tli i'r qetacie, I 01;; ,A lsliitable', knob 1214 is; loeated on the s id1ffideort'22;"bm means ot'i..wh qht"itx;ma he operated 'betw'een 'opeli iandgclgsed positions; {It .willl be appanentthatiothenshapes o1 receptacle 1m; mayibe employed as well as the rectangular transparentrmateiialf is adapted-to be' supported 'Aoflthebottom wallti of 'the receptacle 40 and includes 'a femovable -l-id 28 having-ari opemend The prings so separated drop from the recep- 55 30 formed thereon. The lid 28 is preferably of conical form with the open end 39 at the apex. The container 26 is adapted to be filled or partly fllled with entangled springs I6 and placed within the receptacle I!) after which the lid 28 is secured thereon. The lid 28 is thus esigned to be permanently located within the receptacle Ill and conveniently carries a fluid pressure connection 32 in the form of a flexible conduit having a control. valve 34 incorporated therein. The fluid pressure connection 32 extends through the top wall of the receptacle Ill with the control valve 34 located for easy operation by the operator, preferably by a foot pedal (not shown). The fluid may be compressed air from any suitable source of supply. It should be observed that the open end 30 of the container lid 28 is disposed adjacent the top wall 20 of the receptacle" I 0 for a purpose apparent hereinafter.

A conveyor in the form of a traveling belt 36 is supported on a pair of rollers 38 and extends under and beyond the bottom wall I2 of the receptacle I0. Thus, as shown more clearly in Fig. 1, a portion of the belt 36 extends forwardly of the sliding door 22 where its surface is accessible to the operator. The rollers 38 may be driven by an electric motor (not shown) or any other suitable driving means may be employed for moving the belt 36 under the bottom wall I2. Preferably, the belt 36 is surfaced with a frictional material, such as felt, on the exposed side thereof.

A second receptacle 40 is carried by the first-- receptacle I0 and extends below the front roller 36. The second receptacle 46 is of funnel-shaped form and is provided with a discharge outlet 42 connected by a conduit 44 to one of the side walls I6 of the flrst receptacle Ill adjacent the bottom wall I2. A fluid pressure connection 46 in the form of a flexible conduit extends through a wall of the second receptacle 40 for admitting fluid under pressure thereto. As in the case of the fluid pressure connection 32, a control valve 46 is provided in the fluid pressure connection 46 under control of the operator by a foot pedal (not shown) or other operating means. pressed air from the same or another source of supply may be used as in the case of the supply for the container 26.

Operation The operation of the apparatus will be clear from the foregoing description. Upon placing a spring-filled container 26 within the receptacle I6 and attaching the lid 26, the sliding door 22 is closed and air under pressure admitted by operation of the valve 34 through the fluid pressure connection 32. It will be apparent that the number of springs I6 to be placed in the container 26 is dependent on their size and the air pressure to be supplied. Upon admission of air to the container 26 a rotary action of the springs I6 within the container will be observed. The glass door of the receptacle I0 and the glass container 26 facilitate such visual observation. The springs I6 will rotate from top to bottom and a number will be ejected through the opening 30 under control of the operator manipulating the foot pedal attached to the valve 34, ejection closing when the valve 34 is closed.

The springs so ejected are deflected from the top wall 20 of the receptacle I0 and drop upon the bottom wall I2 which contains the apertures I4. Since these apertures I4 are larger than the overall length of the springs I6 little or no im pedance is presented to passage of the springs I6 Comonto the traveling belt 36. Since the belt has a frictional surface, the springs I6 are maintained in separated condition and are moved from under the bottom wall I2 and exposed for use in front of and below the sliding door 22. The operator who is using the springs in a processing operation may select single springs I6 from the exposed surface of the belt 36 as it moves from under the receptacle I0 as will be apparent. Those springs I6 which are not so removed and those which are not as yet completely untangled will move to the end of the belt 36 passing over the front roller 36 and will drop into the second receptacle 40. Since the second receptacle 40 is funnel-shaped, the unused springs I6 will drop toward the discharge outlet 42. By operation of the valve 48, air under pressure is admitted to convey the springs I6 through the conduit 44 back to the first receptacle III.

The returned springs I6 are deflected from the side walls I8 of the receptacle I0 and pass through the apertures I4 in the bottom wall I2 which serve to disperse. these springs upon the belt 36 as previously described. Consequently, some of the entangled springs I6 which were not separated in the preceding cycle will be separated in this succeeding operation. The cycle is continuous as long as the conveyor belt 36 is moving and fluid under pressure is being admitted to the second receptacle 40 through the fluid pressure connection 46. It will be apparent that the fluid pressure to be admitted to the second receptacle 40 is dependent on the action needed in the conduit 44 to untangle the springs I6 which drop off the end of the conveyor belt 36.

When the conveyor belt 36 contains suflicient springs I6 for use by the operator, then valve 34 can be operated to closed position to shut-off flow of air to the container 26. Thereafter, valve 34 may be opened whenever additional springs I6 are required to be disposed on the conveyor belt 36. Consequently, with the conveyor belt 36 moving, air valve 46 properly adjusted and air valve 34 used for loading the conveyor belt 36, the system will continuously separate and disperse springs at whatever rate desired by the operator. It will furthermore be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the scope of this invention as deflned in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Separating apparatus for connected articles comprising a receptacle having a wall provided with a plurality of apertures and being otherwise closed, a container for the connected articles supported within said receptacle and having an open and adapted to be disposed adjacent a closed wall thereof and remote from said apertured wall, and means for admitting fluid under pressure to said container for ejecting the articles through said open end into separating contact with the closed walls of said receptacle for exit individually through said apertures.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apertured wall overlies movable means for conveying the separated articles beyond said receptacle and exposed for use.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein a second receptacle is positioned adjacent said movable means for receiving articles therefrom, and fluid pressure means connecting said first and second receptacles for returning articles received from said movable means.

4. Separating apparatus for connected articles comprising a receptacle having a bottom wall provided with a plurality of apertures, the side and top walls being closed, said apertures being each of suflicient size for passage of individual articles therethrough, a container adapted to be supported on said bottom wall and having an open end disposed adjacent said top wall, a fluid pressure connection extending through one of said walls to said container and operable for ejecting the articles through said open end into separating contact with at least said top wall for exit individually through said apertures, and conveyor means operable under and beyond said bottom wall for exposing the separated articles for use.

5. Separating apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said conveyor means includes a traveling belt having a frictional surface for retaining the separated articles in separated condition.

6. Separating apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said belt extends between a pair of roller means, and a second receptacle disposed below one of said roller means beyond said bottom wall for receiving articles from said belt.

'7. Separating apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said second receptacle is of funnelshaped form having a discharge outlet connected to said first receptacle, and means for admitting fluid under pressure to said second receptacle for returning articles received therein to said first receptacle.

CHARLES E. K. FOX.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS Number 

